The 1925 Master Plan for Tel-Aviv by Patrick Geddes

This essay approaches the 1925 master plan for Tel-Aviv by the biologist and town planner Patrick Geddes by asking which aspects of his concept of the modern city attracted representatives of the Zionist movement. While the idea of the region-city was applicable to Palestine at large, Geddes's conviction that the modern city had to grow from history was particularly relevant for the resettlement of the ancient Jewish homeland. Geddes planned modern Tel-Aviv as both a part of Palestine and a logical extension of the ancient city of Jaffa. Geddes borrowed decisive features of his plan from his earlier plan for Balrampur, India, and from the historic plan of Edinburgh, Scotland.